 | October 1, 2000 |
The sharper image
Say cheese for higher resolution digital pictures
National Semiconductor spinoff Foveon has shaken up the image-sensor arena with a prototype 16.8-megapixel camera that utilizes an image sensor produced using CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) technology.
CMOS imagers—characterized by lower cost but also lower resolution than the CCDs (charge-coupled devices) common in today's digital cameras—aren't exactly news. Companies such as Canon, Scitex, and Conexant Systems already offer CMOS sensors or products that use them.
Foveon claims that its CMOS chip closes the quality gap. With 4096-by-4096-pixel resolution, the sensor rivals the best CCDs. The company is merely demonstrating the technology, but says it is ready for manufacturing.
The sensor should find its way into high-priced professional cameras initially. But the whole point of CMOS is that it's cost effective (because it's the most common semiconductor process). So digital cameras with film-level quality may soon cost less.
—Margot Suydam
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